The Browns-based movie that hits theaters Friday was going to be about the Buffalo Bills.

“One of the screen writers, Rajiv Joseph, is actually from Cleveland,” explained Ali Bell, a producer. “When he and (co-writer) Scott Rothman were figuring out what team to write the movie about, Cleveland came up, but it hit a little too close to home for Rajiv.

“They originally wrote the script for Buffalo, and we started budgeting the movie.”

The initial budget was about $20 million, small enough to make a producer claustrophobic. Cuyahoga County offered tax breaks and breathing room.

Production for “Draft Day” was going full blast in Berea by last year’s actual draft day. Kevin Costner, who plays Browns general manager Sonny Weaver Jr., worked closely with Michael Lombardi, the actual GM. Denis Leary, who plays Cleveland’s head coach, huddled frequently with actual head coach Rob Chudzinski.

“I was very fortunate to spend a lot of time with Joe Banner and his son Jason and also Mike Lombardi and Coach Chud,” Bell said. “They were incredibly lovely and gracious, and any time we had a question, the door to their office was always open.”

This is Bell’s first movie with the title of producer. She was an associate producer for “Up In The Air” (George Clooney), “No Strings Attached” (Ashton Kutcher), and “Hitchcock” (Anthony Hopkins).

Costner drives the story. He is an NFL long-timer in his second year as GM of the struggling Browns. He is ordered to make “a splash” by the team owner, played by Frank Langella.

Director Ivan Reitman tells an amusing story about Langella’s real-life ignorance of the NFL. At one point, Langella shot a scene with Ray Lewis and came away asking, “Who was that?”

Costner is a big NFL fan.

“This movie was tailor-made for Kevin,” Bell said. “He’s loved this movie just as much as we have since Day One. He so badly wanted everything in the movie to feel as organic to him as possible.

“He would work on the sets and work on each line in such detail and with such care that most actors don’t.”

The biggest roles other than Costner’s are played by Jennifer Garner (Browns salary cap specialist) and Leary.

Costner, 59, and Garner, 41, are a couple in the story. On the promotional circuit, Garner is calling the movie “a little bit of a chick flick wrapped up in football.” Costner tabs it “a date movie.”

Page 2 of 2 - “One of the great things about the script,” Bell said, “is that the writers treated Jen’s character really as the equal of Kevin’s.

“One of the great surprises about coming to Cleveland was discovering that the Browns’ salary cap manager is a woman, Megan Rogers. Megan is every bit as strong and lovely and warm and generous as the character that Jen created.

“Originally, the character had a much different job with the Browns. It was not until we met Megan that we said, ‘Hey, let’s change it. Let’s be true to the actual Browns.’ ”

The Browns’ complex in Berea is the epicenter of the film. Trade-talk scenes were shot at NFL complexes in Seattle, Kansas City and Buffalo. The Dolphins also show up, in scenes taken from the Browns’ 2013 opener.

“From a producer standpoint, this film was incredibly difficult to put together,” Bell said. “We had to get the NFL on board, and then we had to get all five of the featured teams to sign on to use their likenesses, logos and facilities.

“Everywhere we went before we got the five teams on board, the teams would sort of read the script and love it. Then they would say, ‘I wish we could be involved, but it hits too close to home.’

“Then you had to go to NFL Network and ESPN and the three colleges featured in the film. That was equally challenging.”

Bell says the people who made “Draft Day” became attached to the Browns.

“Everywhere you went in Cleveland, people were friendly and supportive,” Bell said. “They were just so excited to have us there, and I’m a Midwest girl (Indianapolis), so it was a dream come true for me.

“You really couldn’t ask for a more magical experience in terms of making a movie.

“When we came back to Cleveland to shoot the opening game against Miami, we finally realized what it was to be a Browns fan. Here was this team we had come to love so much ... we were convinced they were going to the Super Bowl. To lose to the Dolphins was really heartbreaking.”

Banner, Lombardi and Chudzinski were fired after a 4-12 year. More heartbreak?

“You always want the best for the people you fall in love with,” Bell said.